PORTLAND, Ore. — (Update: Gov. Brown issued her executive orders late Monday morning. Go here for details.)
Gov. Kate Brown is expected to announce today that many Oregonians must stay home if possible, facing the possibility jail time or fines if they do not, according to Willamette Week.
Violating the order would be a Class C misdemeanor, which could result in up to a month in jail, a $1,250 fine, or both.
The move comes as Mayor Ted Wheeler earnestly called for such an order Sunday, echoed by regional leaders. And on the coast, cities created emergency orders to kick tourists out of their communities or restrict their movements.
Willamette Week reviewed a draft of the proposed new policy Sunday. The governor's office declined comments.
It forbids "non-essential gatherings" regardless of size. People may still go outside for recreation but must maintain a 6-foot separation from others, Willamette Week reported.
Businesses must allow workers to telecommute. The policy would close "a wide swath of businesses, from barber shops to tattoo parlors" but Willamette Week did not go into further detail.
KGW will update the story as more information becomes available.
Mayor Wheeler sent a pointed message Sunday to Gov. Brown, calling on the governor to order people to stay home to flatten the curve of the COVID-19 spread.
Wheeler said he hopes Brown will act soon. If she doesn't, he said he's "ready to act for Portland tomorrow", meaning a stay-at-home order is probably coming for Portlanders on Monday.
On Friday, Brown and Wheeler held a joint press conference where they said they'd be working together on a stay-at-home policy but it was unclear if there would be a statewide order.
This weekend, a group of 25 Oregon mayors urged Brown to issue a statewide order for people to stay home. All the mayors said if the governor didn't act, they would for their own communities. On Sunday, the county chairs of the three metro-area counties also wrote a letter to Brown asking her to issue a statewide stay-at-home order.
Oregonians haven't seemed to respond to the directives from state and local leaders to stay home and practice social distancing. All weekend, groups of people have flocked to the tiny towns along the Oregon coast, packing beaches, parking lots, hotels and other areas. Coastal cities of Manzanita and Astoria had previously declared emergencies, and on Saturday night Seaside followed suit. Clatsop and Tillamook counties declared states of emergencies in the days prior.
This weekend, mayors in Warrenton and Manzanita issued orders telling visitors to leave town within 24 hours.
On Sunday, Astoria banned vacation and leisure travelers in hotels and short-term rentals, while Tillamook County, Clatsop County and Seaside closed all hotels, short-term rentals, homestay lodges and campgrounds. Seaside restricted access to public buildings, city parks, streams and beach areas that run parallel to the city limits.
Tillamook County closed camping in all local parks and access to beaches and boat launches beginning Monday and lasting through April 28.
On Sunday at 1 p.m., Wheeler tweeted the following: "We cannot delay any longer. @OregonGovBrown, we need a statewide #StayAtHome order. The # of cities, counties, electeds, health care groups, joining me in pushing for this continues to grow. We remain hopeful you will act. But if not, I'm ready to act for Portland tomorrow."